Small businesses today are competing with a lot of noise. Consumers are plowing through the clutter as they use DVRs to skip through commercials, install ad-blockers to browse the websites they love without ads interrupting, and customize what shows up in their social media news feeds.
This makes it imperative to find ways to make sure your small business isn’t ignored. Write messages that your target audience will want to see and read. Whether you are looking for topics for social media post inspiration or ideas to use to make your blog posts draw customers in, it’s essential to reevaluate the way you communicate with customers. Replace the sales pitch with helpful information and the consumers will start to open their eyes and ears. Market with the goal to make buyers see your brand as a valued information provider — not an interruption.
This type of marketing is called content marketing. Content marketing focuses on communicating with the customer and creating and distributing information with the intent to engage a target audience and promote brand awareness. Information needs to be relevant and value-packed to help your small business attract and retain customers. Take a look at these 4 ways content marketing can drive results and increase your bottom line.
Ways to Use Content Marketing
Bolster Brand Awareness
One key to a successful content marketing strategy is consistency. Publish fresh content regularly to create multiple opportunities for your target market to see your company’s name. This is one of many ways to stand out from your competition, plus repetition makes your brand more familiar. Stay in the forefront of consumer’s minds so the next time they want or need the products or services you offer, they support you.
Build a Reputation as an Industry Leader
If there are eight electricians in town and only one provides helpful information to people in the community, this is the brand that will stand apart as the trusted expert. Take the necessary actions to demonstrate your expertise so prospective customers don’t question or research your skills. The small business that helps consumers, especially when they aren’t getting paid, will also earn a reputation of being trustworthy.
Reel People In With Shareable Content
Create a steady flow of new information on various topics to open doors and drive traffic to your website. You want to bring people in through search, traditional media, social media, and more. Marketing tactics such as pay-per-click advertising and digital banner ads don’t work as well if there is no content to promote. These vehicles need something to discuss and a place to link to. Publish relevant and current content so people have a reason to click and to encourage repeat visitors. These types of content also boost search engine ranking and increase the chances that potential customers will find your small business before they find your competition.
Keep Your Website Fresh
Today’s consumer relies heavily on the web to find the information needed to make decisions. A website is often a consumer’s first impression of that business, so it’s crucial to make it a good one. A stale website will not impress your customers and gives off an unprofessional vibe. Consumers who are on the fence may look at a website or a social media page multiple times, so make sure to have new information to see to make their experience a better one.
Content marketing is one of the most low-cost and effective ways you can drive traffic and build awareness for your small business. Work to create content that attracts, acquires and engages your target audience. It may take some time to see the results, but don’t give up. Stick with your content marketing strategy and continue to refine it and it will lead your small business to great success.
Typing Photo via Shutterstock
Aira Bongco
It is impossible to rank a website without good content. While there are people who may argue that content is not that important, they will soon realize that they can hardly compete with their competitors simply because of the lack of content.
Hello Megan
Very well written article. Content is really a great way to drive quality readers to your website or blog. Some times people think that content doesn’t play any role to marketing but the fact is that “Content is still a King” Quality content develops good readership of your website or blog.
Communication with customers, both prospective and existing, is key to the success of a small business and this is where content marketing has an important role to play. I also strongly agree with points #3 & #4 in terms of increasing traffic to your website by keeping it updated regularly with fresh, shareable content. Great piece of writing this, Megan! 🙂
Content marketing is key and this article does a great job of communicating its core value, Megan!
It feeds so many of the pieces of a strong small business marketing plan, such as SEO efforts you mentioned above AKA fresh web content. It is, however, only valuable when it is implemented strategically. Throwing random pieces of content at consumers can be a waste of time and result in lower ROI than content that is planned, tracked, and measured for success.
We need to optimize our limited resources for optimal results!
Thank you Megan for an insightful article about the importance content marketing. I am always telling clients that a quality, up to date website is just as important as a bricks and mortar shopfront and requires just as much attention and investment. First impressions count and having a website that offers engaging content that is targeted to their ideal client is essential to convert these visitors to paying customers and also improve the ranking of the website.
Justine, your comment about strategically implementing is very important and communicating this to business owners can sometimes be difficult. But when done properly, the business benefits in many ways.
Content marketing is essential nowadays. Google is no longer ranking sites just because of relevance. It is also ranking sites based on how useful they are.
Content marketing is a long-term strategy to attract and retain customers by creating and curating valuable & relevant content.
100% agree here. Content is truly king. Those who are persistent about producing high-quality content will eventually lead in SEO and benefit from inbound leads. It can pay-off both short-term (social shares and thought-leadership) and long-term (SEO.)
George
Juan Morris
The goal of content marketing is simple. The same cannot be said for the amount of work done to make IT happen.
Hey Megan, this was indeed a very encouraging post for content marketers and strategic post for small scale business-men. A small business requires advertising which can only be done by letting the audience know more about the business. And to cater the audience and gain their curiousity and interest regarding the business is something that can only be done by creative and excellent content marketing. So thank you for this post!!
Hey, Megan, this was indeed a very encouraging post for content marketers and strategic post for small scale businessmen. A small business requires a different kind of publicity and encouragement. The publicity can only be gained if content marketing is done in a creative manner. Also, the reviews from the audience are great sources of encouragement for a small scale business. Thus the more the content shared, the larger the growth of business.
BISWAJIT SAHA
Thanks for highlighting the importance of content marketing. I also do believe that to be effective at content marketing, it is essential to have a documented content marketing strategy
Not only small business, any business with higher vision needs better content marketing strategy. Now with the aid of social media content marketing really making significant boost in business.
As a marketing strategist from lake b2b we give a lot of importance to content marketing. we can see from lot of research that if content strategy is good the organic traffic increases and the brand becomes visible.But there are lot of other medium to promote your brand. But knowing the target audience and using the medium accordingly is important to survive in the market.
Regardless of what type of marketing tactics you use, content marketing should be part of your process, not something separate. Quality content is part of all forms of marketing.
Sam
Thanks for the great read and tips.
Content marketing can grow your brand in many ways. Posting content 3-4 times a day on social media, regular blog updates and informative small videos can grow your business. You just have to provide informative and creative content.
A website can attract huge traffic from good-quality content.
very good speech about content marketing .
Amazing Article, Regardless of what type of marketing tactics you use, content marketing should be part of your process, not something separate. Quality content is part of all forms of marketing.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful content. This content helps in knowing about the importance of content marketing in the present scenario. Quality content always plays its own and major role in the growth of the business. I also like your #4 point for traffic growth as customers always need fresh information.
Awesome Post most of the people ignore content marketing.. writing well researched content is the key to success to generate more sales & revenue.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful content. This content helped me in knowing the importance of content marketing.
Ohh amazing Blog about the content marketing !! I want to ask what if competitor create our backlink on a Spam site will it degrade our ranking? If yes how we can remove these links from those sites? Please Help
Ohh that an amazing blog on content marketing. I want to ask what if our competitor create backlinks of our website on spammy website will it degrade the ranking in google search result. If yes how can we solve it out. Please Help!! Thanks in Advance
hey thanks for sharing this article with us I really want to enhance my content marketing skills this will really be going to help me
Hi, I Read your blog and i enjoyed it. There are a lot of good information on this blog, I’d like to Share and I think people will get a lot of support from this blog. Thank you for sharing this informative blog, please keep up and share some unique posts with us in the future.
Digital Yodha is a Digital Marketing Agency here you get all the services like SEO, SMM, SMO, PPC Video Marketing, Web Design, Link building under a roof. The Company was founded in 2019 by ”Abhishek Pareek”.
I really enjoyed your blog post. You have shared such nice information on content marketing.
Really great Blog about content marketing and its tactics.
This is a great piece of information on Content Marketing. Such a nice article and I really gained additional knowledge on Content Marketing. Thanks and kudos!!!
Tarun Sharma
Excellent speech and thoughts on content marketing.
It’s an article with valid information on content marketing.
thedigitalwalrus
The Digital Walrus is a digital marketing agency based in Jaipur. We develop effective marketing strategies for corporate brands and local businesses keeping in mind latest and creative Digital Marketing Services. We have a proven track record in delivering optimum results based on digital marketing campaigns.
thanks for sharing such wonderful content. if we created an online website but it doesn’t mean to be best on google. so pls tell me about how content marketing affects SEO?? pls
Akhil James
Valuable Information Megan Todka. Thankyou so much really! This one is amazing
Thanks foe sharing
Hey, You wrote such an amazing blog and the topic you choose for your blog is really good it will surely help others to write amazing content.
Thank you for the blog. It is hard to let go and start over again. I do not come from a network of entrepreneurs and it is so discouraging when you feel like you are spinning your wheels and making no progress. Thank you for sharing your blog.
ratan singh
HI,
This is a very good post, and I like it very much. For us, it’s insightful and helpful. For a long time, I’ve been looking for this and I’m just really pleased to say that I’m working with this stuff as well. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Valuable Information Megan Todka.
Amazing Article really happy to say it was an interesting post.
Amazing Article really happy to say it was an interesting post
The Cogent is the best digital marketing company in Jaipur with complete Digital marketing solution.
Such a great content. Really appreciable it helps me a lot in my work.